50 years ago I listened to the US navy sending their very fast morse and was
then told about the special keys they had which worked sideways and with a
spring attached to the dot paddle. This was all magic to me as I pounded the
pumphandle keyer supplied by the Royal Navy. 15 years later I spent many an
hour (or months even) getting to grips with an iambic keyer. The spacing of
the paddle was in imperial inches - well it sounded like it.
I then read an article by a USA amateur who had developed a computerized
iambic keyer specifically designed for the morse contest operator and he was
willing to supply PCB layout and circuit details.
With the help of many of the Marconi Instruments departments (both
mechanical and electronic) as well as G3JKS help using his influence with a UK based
well known USA company, we managed to produce 2 units both worked well and my
proficiency with the iambic key rose to about 35 wpm. I also built just the
mechanical keyer which has needle bearings. I sold the elctronics package but
kept the mechanical keyer.
15 years ago I packed up amateur radio and have just returned. I had one
problem with it - this may surprise you (it did me) - I could not remember
whether it was the thumb or finger which pressed dit key. I now realize that I
can send equally as well with either set up. Maybe this is just an indication
of how poor is my capability. But it does show how the old brain can adopt
a programme that one would think is fully set in the memory banks.
G4BOU
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